


On The Road Again

by Small_Hobbit



Series: A New Life [6]
Category: Robin Hood (BBC 2006)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-28
Updated: 2017-03-28
Packaged: 2018-10-12 02:54:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10480524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Small_Hobbit/pseuds/Small_Hobbit
Summary: Guy and Much are heading south-west to make a new life for themselves away from the Sheriff and Robin Hood's gang.  After being snowbound in a village they are setting off together again.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Written for LJ's Froday Flash Fiction Challenge "Rare Pairs"

With the roads and tracks now traversable, Guy and Much set off once more on their journey.  Their delay, although unanticipated, had left them both feeling fitter and happier than they had been in many months.  Although still slightly wary their whereabouts would be reported back to the sheriff, they had agreed it would now be safe to take the more major roads, and also make use of the simple rooms which were available for travellers requiring overnight stops.  As Much observed, they now looked more like travellers seeking a new life, rather than fugitives.  They continued to avoid mounted patrols, but this did not set them apart from many of the other travellers, so did not raise suspicion.  
  
As they walked along one bright sunny morning, Much said, “I like the way all this hard work has changed your body.”  
  
Guy laughed.  “Would you care to give examples?”  
  
“Oh, tonight, if we stay somewhere suitable, I’ll show you what I’m talking about.”  
  
“What, point out all the bruises?”  
  
“That is not what I meant and you know it!”  
  
To demonstrate his point he put his arm round Guy’s waist, bringing him to a halt, and then pressed his other hand into Guy’s stomach muscles.  
  
“And anyway, I’d much rather be kissing better the bruises caused by moving timber, than those someone’s deliberately given you.”  
  
Guy smiled and hugged Much back.  
  
“So, where are we heading?  You said from the beginning you had a plan.”  
  
“Worcester first, then Hereford, Gloucester and onto Bristol.  We can stop when we find somewhere which suits us.”  
  
“You really have thought about it.”  
  
“I may not be as quick as other people, but it doesn’t mean I can’t plan.  It just takes a bit longer.”   
  
Much tried not to sound too hurt.  
  
“I didn’t mean that.  I know you can plan.  We’d never have got this far if you couldn’t.  It’s the detail you’ve gone into which impress me.”  
  
“Sorry.  I’m used to people thinking ‘Oh, Much can’t read or write, so he won’t know anything useful.’”  
  
“I would never think that.”  
  
“I know.  I listen, which leads to them thinking ‘Much doesn’t join in, so clearly he can’t understand.’  I remember.  And I talk to people, all the little people, the ones at the back of the group, the lowly pedlars.  Which is what I did, and slowly over the months I got an idea of where I wanted to go and how to get there.  Of course, that plan did rather rely on you coming with me.”  
  
“And if I hadn’t – would you have gone anyway?”  
  
Much paused for a moment.  “I think I would.  I told you when we began there were a number of reasons why I hadn’t gone north with the rest of the gang.”  
  
“You implied I was one of them for which I am very grateful.  Do you want to tell me the others?  You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”  
  
“Maybe some day.  I’m sure there are clever words to explain my feelings, but I don’t know them.  All I can say is there were reasons to go and reasons not to go and on balance I decided not to go.  You may have been the reason which swayed the balance.”  Much saw Guy smirk.  “Or you may not.”  
  
Guy hugged Much again.  “Whatever the reason, I am glad to be here with you.”  
  
They walked on in silence for a while and were just discussing stopping to eat their lunch when they heard cries.  Cautiously, they made their way round the bend in the road, to see two ruffians threatening a young woman and two small children who were hiding behind her, clinging to her skirt.  Guy and Much looked at each other and, with a cry of their own, they charged forward.  The two ruffians took off, dragging the woman’s pony with them.  
  
“Thank you,” the woman said.  
  
“Are you okay?” Guy asked.  “Did they hurt you?”  
  
“No, you arrived before they could do more than threaten us.”  She paused to compose herself.  “We don’t have much, but I’d have given them anything to spare the children.”  
  
“I’m surprised to see you travelling by yourself.”  
  
“I wouldn’t normally.  I was going to my sister-in-law.  My husband left me at Atherstone where my sister-in-law’s steward was to meet us and accompany us the rest of the way.  My husband had affairs in Tamworth and planned to return home tomorrow once they were completed.  He would have come to collect us next week.  But when the steward met us he said they had the pox and I felt I had no alternative but to return home.”  
  
“Yes, I understand.”  
  
“And now we must walk home.  Fortunately, because we were all riding the pony I had put my belongings on my back.”  
  
At this point, the little girl tugged her mother’s sleeve.  “Mama, I’m hungry.”  
  
Much’s heart sank – he didn’t want to share their food, although he knew they would.  
  
“Maybe if these kind gentlemen don’t mind waiting with us, we could stop and eat now.”  She looked at Much and Guy.  “I’m sure we could share what we have with you.”  
  
“We have our own food,” Much said, feeling very relieved.  “But thank you for the offer.  Of course we’ll stay here with you.”  
  
He glanced at Guy, who nodded.  
  
As they were eating, Guy asked, “How far do you have to go?”  
  
“It’s only about four miles.  We can manage, although it would have been easier with the pony.”  
  
Much smiled at Guy, who had given him a questioning look.  
  
“We could accompany you if you like,” Guy said.  “If we carry your pack, it’ll make it easier for you.”  
  
“That would be wonderful.  You’d be welcome to stay the night.  It wouldn’t be right if you stayed in the house, but you’d be welcome to one of the outbuildings, and I’d make sure you were fed.”  
  
“If that’s not too much trouble for you.”  
  
“Not at all.  My husband would insist on it if he were here.  I’m only sorry I can’t have you stay in the house.”  
  
“We quite understand.  An outbuilding will suit us perfectly.”  
  
Once they had finished eating, Much picked up the woman’s pack.  It soon became clear the little girl would be unable to walk far, so Guy knelt down and she climbed into his arms.  He lifted her up and she rested her head on his shoulder, one arm dangling down his back.  
  
They made good progress, but as the sun began to sink in the sky the small boy started to walk slower.   
  
“I could carry the boy on my back,” Much said to Guy, “if you could pass the girl to her mother and take the pack.”  
  
“I can manage the pack,” the woman said.  “It seems a shame to disturb Giselle since she’s asleep on your friend’s shoulder.”  
  
They continued, arriving at the small manor house just before sunset.  The woman welcomed them into her home, before setting about preparing food for them all.  After they had eaten she took them to the outbuilding and told them to make use of the hay to make themselves comfortable.  
  
Guy and Much made up a bed in one corner of the outbuilding, before stripping off their outer clothing, and settling down for the night.  
  
“It’s a shame it’s too dark for you to show me what you like about my body,” Guy said.  
  
“Since I can’t see you, I shall just have to feel all your muscles instead,” Much replied, and promptly matched the actions to his words.


End file.
